THE OFF DUTY HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 50 Nostalgic Finds

These 50 retro gifts—whose origins date back decades and beyond—will conjure a simpler time when the holidays were lower-voltage, but just as bright

Stimulus Package

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Stimulus Package

1930s | Since the invention of the Moka pot in 1933, espresso addicts have sworn by the simplicity and serviceability of the Italian-style stovetop percolator. This snazzy but still straightforward update from Gemini simultaneously brews two demitasse portions straight into the cups and keeps the espresso good and hot until both parties are prepared to caffeinate. Espresso Maker, $45 for percolator, two cups and saucers, momastore.org

Instant Classic

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Instant Classic

1960s | “Sofort” in German means “immediately,” as in no time to impulse-buy Flintstones vitamins while you wait for the drugstore to deliver prints of your digital photos. This diminutive shooter, dubbed Sofort by the esteemed German camera-maker Leica, is an instant model reminiscent of the pack-film Polaroids of the 1960s. It spits out fridge-friendly 2.1-by-3.4-inch prints (with iconic white borders) from a side slot seconds after you snap. The Sofort uses Fujifilm Instax film packs, widely available at big-box electronics stores. Discerning shutterbugs can upgrade to Leica-brand pack film, in color or black-and-white.
$299, us.leica-camera.com

Ribbon Reborn

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Ribbon Reborn

1920s | The strictest of traditionalists may insist on the original peppermint variety when it comes to Sevigny’s Thin Ribbon Candy—an old-fashioned favorite in production since 1926—and it does make a wonderfully wavy alternative to candy canes at this time of year. But a riotous rainbow of flavors is available today, from fruity to tangy to creamy. Packaging all of them (including the minty classic) in one colorful box, this is a gift made for sharing. $30 for six 7-ounce boxes, ribboncandyman.com

Wrist Assured

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Wrist Assured

1930s | The Italian jewelry-making technique that produces flexible metal coils called “tubogas” dates back to the 1930s. In 1985, American jeweler Sidney Garber tapped into the Depression-era innovation to design what would become one of his long-running signature pieces. Mr. Garber crafted the coils into these high-shine, 18K-gold twisted bracelets, which also come in a 6-band version. The company, founded in Chicago, crafts these cuffs by hand, which makes them particularly durable. Best of all, the intertwined loops are big enough to be noticed but not so ostentatious that they can’t be worn every day. Rolling Bracelet, $12,200, Sidney Garber, 212-274-1111

Into the Buff

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Into the Buff

1930s | A good shoe shine is one of life’s great luxuries. And while it’s nice to get a polish at a traditional shoe-shine stand, there’s something more satisfying (if time-consuming) about doing it yourself. Transform the chore into a near-sybaritic ritual for the brogue-lover in your life with Turms’s retro, all-inclusive shoe kit. The handsome Italian-made wooden case has everything needed to keep his shoes sparkling: brushes, polish tins, even shoe shampoo and deodorizer. The only thing not in there? A free hour to scrub and shine to his heart’s content. Shoe Care Kit, $975, mrporter.com

Soft Shoe

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Soft Shoe

1950s | Practicality dictates that the smartest shoe women can buy as winter approaches is a pair of flat boots. But the best thing about gifts is that pragmatism needn’t be the deciding factor. Enter Prada’s defiantly glamorous crystal-embellished satin mules. Their only purpose is to delight a lucky recipient with their charisma—whether she’s going out or staying in. It’s a job for which they’re amply qualified. $1,150, netaporter.com

Cyborg of Yore

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Cyborg of Yore

1950s | This 5-inch-tall reproduction of a classic midcentury Japanese toy harks back to another time, when anthropomorphic mini robots creakily walked in a somewhat straight line at no more than a snail’s pace. The wire spring that runs across his head was meant to pick up radio waves beamed from outer space. A hole in his side lets mad scientists set the robot in motion with a few turns of a detachable key. Mini Radiocon Robot, $11, tintoyarcade.com

Fruitcake Reconceived

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Fruitcake Reconceived

1200s | Oh, the fruitcake, that medieval throwback still dutifully trotted out around the holidays, dotted with candied fruits of unnatural hue, sodden with booze, dense as a brick. This year, chocolatier Valerie Gordon of Los Angeles-based Valerie Confections has set out to redeem this moth-eaten tradition by dreaming up scrumptious fruitcake-inspired chocolate bars, available in bittersweet Noir and white-chocolate Blanc versions. Loaded with high-quality, all-natural dried fruits and nuts and packaged in bold, graphic wrappers, these bars breathe new life into a ghost of Christmas past. $10 per bar, valerieconfections.com

Rotary 'Phones

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Rotary 'Phones

1940s | The audiophile on your list has a lot to gain by forsaking Bluetooth wireless headphones this season: the subpar sound quality, the flaky wireless connection and the need to keep even the headphones charged. Instead, offer up this retro pair, which tethers to an iPhone or hi-fi system with a high-quality audio cable (gasp!). The sound of the Grado RS1e set is airy and as warm as those mahogany earpieces look. And in a refreshingly old-fashioned twist, each pair is crafted by hand in Brooklyn. $695, 4ourears.net

We'll Always Drive Paris

We'll Always Drive Paris

1950s | After making a splash at the 1955 Paris Motor Show, the Citroën DS quickly became a favorite among France’s elite (Charles de Gaulle credited his narrow escape from an assassination attempt to the car’s unique suspension system). Make like de Gaulle and hire a chauffeur to take yourself, and up to two companions, zipping around the French capital or daytripping to Versailles in one.
From about $370 a day, trufflepig.com

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Mike Leach

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Mike Leach

“The most alarming gifts I got were sweaters in bright colors found nowhere in nature. Used clothes from older relatives were always better because you’d get some good stuff.”
–Mike Leach, coach of the Washington State University Cougars football team

One-Track Find

One-Track Find

1890s |Anna Karenina met her Vronsky at a train station. Tolstoy died at one. For the literature enthusiast on your gift list, there are few more romantic ways to get acquainted with Russia than by rail…in winter. If a language barrier makes roughing it on the original Trans-Siberian Railway unappealing, the high-end Golden Eagle—launched in 2007 but decked out in decadent style reminiscent of pre-Revolution Russia—travels a similar route on its Trans-Siberian Express Winter Wonderland itinerary, and features English-speaking guides. The two-week trip (March 5-19) travels from the port of Vladivostok to Siberia’s Lake Baikal to Moscow, with a swoop south into Mongolia. On-board lectures and Russian lessons help pass the time—with no TV or Wi-Fi to distract. From $15,895, exeterinternational.com.

Luxe Be a Lady

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Luxe Be a Lady

1950s | Old-school elegance can be hard to pull off on shivery evenings out. To help her conjure it easily, consider a cropped mink jacket from fur atelier Pologeorgis—the sort of anti-parka indulgence that might once have hung in Grace Kelly’s closet. In a neutral silvery gray, it will work as beautifully with trousers and a sweater as it does bundled over a beaded gown. Mink Jacket, $5,500, pologeorgis.com

First Class Cuffs

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

First Class Cuffs

1940s | Between security checkpoints, cramped seats and inexplicable baggage fees, flying has become an exercise in misery. A small but effective antidote: Dunhill’s sterling silver airplane cuff links. Shaped like ’40s-era jet-propelled planes, they recall a time of roomy cabins (occasionally graced with living plants!) and unlimited in-flight cocktails. Your favorite nattily attired frequent flier can wear them on-board to restore a modicum of dignity to the experience. At the very least, he’ll be better dressed than the guy in Cinnabon-stained sweats. $320, dunhill.com

Throws of Fashion

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Throws of Fashion

1940s | After World War II, newly invented synthetic fibers like nylon and acrylic began their own offensive against traditional natural fibers, and for a half-century, they seemed to be winning the battle. Lately, however, natural textiles like wool have edged back into dominance in interior decorating with pieces like this 5-by-6-foot Scottish lamb's wool throw from Aero. With double-faced, temperature-regulating comfort and a vintage-y pattern, it will spare your giftee from ever knowing the discomfort of the Cold War. Throw, $480, Aero, 212-966-1500

Heart History

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Heart History

1950s | A classic gifting tip: An Hermès scarf makes a big impact that’s worth the splurge. That’s even more the case with the new Brides de Gala Love scarf, which revives a riding-bridle motif originally created in 1957—and comes nestled in a special heart-shaped version of Hermès’ signature burnt-orange box. The box alone is guaranteed to elicit “oohs” before it’s even opened. $395, hermes.com

Heir and Sea

Heir and Sea

1930s | In 1931, Marjorie Merriweather Post, owner of several unapologetically over-the-top homes—including Florida’s Mar-a-Lago—turned her decorating chops seaward. The cereal scion and her then-husband E.F. Hutton commissioned a 360-foot windjammer, furnishing it with a palace’s worth of mahogany, gold and marble. Today, the Sea Cloud is a 64-passenger luxury cruise ship open to all. For a taste of the lush life aquatic, book the owner’s cabin No. 1 (inset), decorated in Post’s beloved Louis-XIV style.
Fares on this winter’s weeklong Caribbean cruises from $4,295 a person, expeditiontrips.com

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Zac Posen

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Zac Posen

“It was challenging because most of our gifts were from the flea market. My dad once got me a 1980s Transformers figure at the Third Street Music tag sale. I was very disappointed and uneasy that it was a used gift when it was probably a collectors’ object.”
–Zac Posen, designer and creative director of Brooks Brothers

I Want My Marc Jacobs

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

I Want My Marc Jacobs

1980s | Of all the decades from which fashion draws inspiration, the 1980s is perhaps the most fraught. Leave it to New York designer Marc Jacobs to throw all caution to the wind and simply have fun with one of the era’s biggest pop cultural forces: 24-hour music station MTV. This sweatshirt, from Mr. Jacobs’s resort collection, will please any trend-seeker on your list, whether or not she was alive in 1981 to witness video killing the radio star. $1,400, marcjacobs.com

Promise Them the Tune

Promise Them the Tune

1860s | The playlist of this 72-note music box by Swiss company Reuge is admittedly limited: The meticulously engineered movement plays only three songs but renders each with a tonal richness that needs to be heard in person to appreciate. Standard melodies include works by Mozart, Grieg and Shostakovich. (After all, Reuge has been crafting music boxes since 1865.) If you choose, the boxes will also plink out somewhat more recent works, like “Love Me Tender” and “My Funny Valentine.” Or, for an extra charge, you can ask the company to customize a playlist, according to your giftees taste’s, from an MP3 file, YouTube video or sheet music. Francastel Music Box $5,300, reuge.ch

Seating to Go - Go

Seating to Go - Go

1960s | Though architect and designer Joe Colombo’s 1969 Tube Chair sits in museum collections around the world, the outré seat didn’t roll into many groovy living rooms. The reason: Its original upholstery wasn’t especially durable. But Italian design house Cappellini has reissued the chair—whose tubes can be disassembled, rearranged and even nested and carried—in an array of harder-wearing poly blends, and refabricated the modular tubes in recycled polyethylene. Yes, it’s a little weird to give someone a chair, but this one looks great accessorized with an oversize bow. From $3,300, Cappellini, 212-966-0669

Game Do-Over

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Game Do-Over

1980s | The past, they say, is never as good as you remember. But this miniature game system, which hooks up to your TV, makes playing Nintendo games from the ’80s as addictive as they were when “Alf” stalked the earth. The device has 30 classic games preloaded—hits like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros and the Legend of Zelda—so you won’t need cartridges. To introduce young players to a more truly Reagan-era experience, turn on the device’s “CRT” mode to add old-school scan lines to the TV screen. While this extremely hot product can be hard to find in stores, fear not. According to a Nintendo spokeswoman, “a steady flow” of systems will arrive through the holidays and into the new year.
NES Classic Edition, $60, nintendo.com – Joanna Stern

Sweet Temptation

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Sweet Temptation

1770s | In “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the White Witch uses the Ottoman-era candy Turkish delight to ensnare the innocent; Nar Gourmet’s nutty, salty-sweet version is the most bewitching real-life version that we know. Wrap up a tin along with a pretty edition of the book to lure a young reader into Narnia. Traditional Turkish Delight With Double Roasted Pistachio, $35 for 450 grams, zingermans.com

Chime Warp

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Chime Warp

1960s | The quaint excitement of a doorbell’s chime has largely been replaced by the less thrilling text message “I’m outside.” Reminiscent of the Fisher Price toy xylophone of the 1960s, the Ding Dong Door Bell from New York’s Kikkerland was carefully orchestrated to emit the E and C notes of the musical scale when struck with its mallet for a familiar and friendly “Avon Lady” ring. $10, kikkerland.com

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Martina Mondadori Sartogo

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Martina Mondadori Sartogo

“My godmother gave me eight American tramp-art picture frames. I was horrified. I was 9 and wanted a pink skirt or a Barbie, and these things were scruffy and old. I recently found them in my mom’s closet, though. Now they hang unfilled like an installation in my family’s guest bedroom.”
–Martina Mondadori Sartogo, founder of Cabana Magazine

Nutty Cracker

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Nutty Cracker

1930s | Ladies and gentleman, signore e signori, from the Italian housewares company that brought you Anna G., the amazing corkscrew lady, Alessi presents: the Strongman Nutcracker. Designed by playful Dutch designer Marcel Wanders, this 9-pound, stainless-steel mustachioed paean to 1930s circus acts comes with a striped onesie, and a grimace that belies the ease with which his feet pulverize nuts when you screw down his golden-orbed barbell. $1,500, alessi.com

A Cord That Cuts It

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Cord That Cuts It

1950s | They don’t make ’em like they used to. This is especially true when it comes to power supplies, most of which are made of flimsy plastic. This industrial-grade strip from Detroit-based manufacturer Shinola and General Electric, on the other hand, evokes midcentury appliances with a braided cord so beefy it’s all but kink-proof. The heavy—and we mean heavy—die-cast metal enclosure offers your giftee dual outlets and two USB ports. The box’s sheer weight and a grippy rubber base keep it assuredly in place. Also available in a five-outlet version. Power Supply 2 Port + Dual USB, $135, shinola.com

Star Strokes

Star Strokes

1930s | The outdoorsy person on your list can stylishly conjure the tranquility of canoeing across a lake by hanging these Wes Anderson-esque paddles instead of something that’s more categorically Art. Made of solid cherrywood, each paddle is crafted in the Toronto workshop of artist and canoe fan Natasha Wittke, who also offers leather harnesses for suspending the paddles. Unlike your other home décor, these are meant to go from the wall to the water—a polyurethane varnish makes the paddles rugged enough to actually use. Gichigami Artisan Canoe Paddle, $385, norquayco.com

Kicking Way Back

James Chen

Kicking Way Back

1920s | Give the gamer in your life a break from Xbox passivity with the fierce physicality a foosball table demands. The origins of table soccer—known by the French as Baby-Foot, the Spaniards as Futbolín and Eastern Europeans as Kicker—date back to the late 19th century. Many people claim credit for its invention, but in 1923, Englishman Harold Searles Thornton patented a table that clearly prefigures those we know today. This luxe option by Janus et Cie, made of stainless steel, has a modernist design that speaks of such vintage models and the durability to live either indoors or out. Available in steel, red, white and black, it’s too chic to hide in your game room. $11,164, janusetcie.com

Unfree Spirits

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Unfree Spirits

1800s | Inspired by the 19th-century wooden liquor guard known as a Tantalus—named for the eternally unsatisfied king of Greek mythology—this lockable decanter caddy will please any tippling history buff. While Ralph Lauren Home has updated the design with opulent silver-plating and contemporary leaded-crystal decanters, the idea of opening up your house to guests while locking up your booze is clearly a timeless paradox. Ogden Decanter Caddy Set, $2,995, ralphlauren.com

Analog Aesop

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Analog Aesop

1750s | The under-10 set is, thankfully, still receptive to nondigital diversions, such as these playing cards reprinted from an 18th-century British set thought to have been used in Colonial Williamsburg. Each card depicts familiar characters and scenes from “Aesop’s Fables” in illustration and verse. Our old friend the wolf robed in sheep’s fur helps you slyly teach kids that genteel vegetarians aren’t always what they seem. Classic life lessons delivered via play? Now, that’s winning. Aesop’s Fable Cards $10, colonialwilliamsburg.com

Noshing Special

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Noshing Special

1890s | William Morris may never have seen the Peruvian jungle, which artisan Edmundo Contreras cites as inspiration for the stylized pattern of his Floral Antiquity Tray. But the high priest of the late-19th-century Arts and Crafts movement seems alive and well in this salver’s surface of reverse-painted glass. Layered-on pigment, including a metallic gold, creates a luxe image, and because the frame is medium-density fiberboard (MDF, less liable to warp than wood), the hand-painted glass won’t crack under the stress of entertaining. $150, tenthousandvillages.com

A Scotch Above

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Scotch Above

1990s | They’re not the smokiest, boldest or butchest of Scotches. Whiskies from the Scottish Lowlands are typically light and low-key—more Tom Hiddleston than Tom Hardy—and some of the most elegant expressions come from the Auchentoshan distillery. Triple-distilled and aged for two-plus decades in bourbon and Sherry casks, the suave and complex Auchentoshan 21 Year Old Single Malt will please a seasoned Scotch drinker and wow a budding aficionado born the year it was distilled. $205, parkaveliquor.com

Bed and Banquet

Bed and Banquet

Early 1900s | If your list includes loved ones still grieving the loss of “Downton Abbey” and you have a suitably aristocratic budget, fill the void with an Edwardian-style slumber party on one of two British noble estates. Mostly closed to the public, these historic country homes (in Devon and Somerset) welcome small groups for occasional three-day visits. Daytime diversions vary by season, but generally include pheasant shoots, strolls through expansive gardens and fishing in estate lakes. Evenings are spent with the homeowners, first with cocktails and canapés in the drawing room, then over formal dinners worthy of Mrs. Patmore herself. Villainous under-butlers not included.
From about $15,600 per night for a three-night stay for up to 16 guests, inanyeventtours.net

British Proppers

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

British Proppers

1950s | In the unsentimental course of history, sometimes only the pillows can be saved. While the contents of the Paris villa where the Duke and Duchess of Windsor entertained in the 1950s were auctioned off 20 years ago, New York-based Jayne Design Studio has re-created a little piece of the Bois de Boulogne home: the throw pillows that adorned a large sofa in the library. The silk, velvet and cotton damask Wallis Pillow, named for Ms. Simpson, has a pattern as bold and glamorous as the lady herself. $950, jaynedesignstudio.com

Toile 2.0

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Toile 2.0

1700s | Finishing the last crumbs off these dessert plates to reveal their toile de Jouy patterns is as satisfying as completing a jigsaw puzzle but not nearly as onerous. French earthenware company Gien stays true to the distinctively intricate pastoral scenes that characterized the 18th-century toile de Jouy style, but juices the typically staid palette with touches of bright yellow, acid green and aqua. With such an appetizing combination of old and new, the obvious question is also a rhetorical one: Seconds, anyone? Delices De Jouy Dessert Plates, $180 for four assorted, fxdougherty.com

Got Silk?

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Got Silk?

1930s | Once, lounging at home was a veritable art form. Let’s just say that neither oversize T-shirts nor Snuggies were involved. Why not encourage a revival of that courtly way of life this season? Start her off on the right slippered foot with this swishing satin robe trimmed generously with black lace from French lingerie brand Carine Gilson. To complete the mood, we suggest stocking stuffers of candy deserving of the word “bonbon” and a bottle of Krug. $1,420, Barneys New York, 212-826-8900

A Quaint Way to Burn Rubber

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Quaint Way to Burn Rubber

1970s | The children in your life may plead unceasingly for a toy drone or app-controlled car, but that’s only because they haven’t seen this rubber-band-propelled dragster, an update of a toy dating back to the Nixon administration. (A patent for a “Rubber Band Drive for Toy Vehicle” was granted in 1973, to be precise.) Not only will it be a lot easier to control than a drone but, depending on how taut your offspring winds the rubber band, it’ll also be quicker to accelerate. This build-it-yourself kit includes a super-long rubber band as well as wheels of various sizes and an adjustable body so youngsters can tinker their way to maximum speed. Tinker Crate Rubber Band Car, $25, kiwicrate.com

That's a Wrap

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

That's a Wrap

1890s | Though it doesn’t make plowing through bouts of holiday baking any easier, a beautiful apron certainly dials up the festive factor. With a pattern reminiscent of those seen in late-19th-century Nordic Christmas décor, this number from Finnish design company Marimekko makes a pert and practical present for any cook. Extra points if you tuck recipes for pepparkakor cookies and lussekatter buns into the pockets. Tuppurainen Apron, $47, us.marimekko.com

Case Invader

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Case Invader

1920s | Even the most high-maintenance women in your life probably don’t carry a vanity case. Perhaps they should. However old-fashioned the valises may seem—their heyday was the 1920s—an elegant box that stores scads of beauty products and opens up to reveal a mirror can prove useful. It’s the best kind of gift: something she never knew she wanted. Anya Hindmarch’s leather-trimmed nylon version—embellished with a Space Invader—has a certain wit to it, and comes with zippered inside pockets and handy elastic bottle holders. Vanity Kit, $525, Anya Hindmarch, 646-852-6233

Knit to be Tied

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Knit to be Tied

1950s | Giving a guy a necktie on Dec. 25 might seem as by-the-numbers as baking a ham come Easter. But the menswear maestros at Italy’s Rubinacci offer a knit version that made even our jaded eyes do a double take. Crafted with a zigzag texture and two colors of thread—forest green and navy—it’s a subtly newfangled take on the classic. $90, Rubinacci, 39-02-7600-1564

Thread Lightly

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Thread Lightly

1600s | Named for a 17th- century London draper and long associated with elderly aunties, the doily is overdue for a reboot. The gossamer-fine specimens below, hand-crocheted in Vietnam, combine intricate detail with a graceful irregularity that recalls natural forms more than it does the airless atmosphere of a Victorian parlor. Scattered over a festive table, they set a scene at once fancy and free- spirited. ABCDNA Entwine Petal Doilies, $95-$150, abchome.com

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Jeremiah Langhorne

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Jeremiah Langhorne

“I was once given the contents of someone’s kitchen junk drawer. They literally emptied out the drawer and put it in a gift bag, thinking I would like all the old useless stuff.”
–Jeremiah Langhorne, chef/owner, The Dabney, Washington, D.C., recently awarded a Michelin star

Crunch Time

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Crunch Time

1600s | Each year on Dec. 6, Belgium’s Santa—known as Sinterklaas—travels the country to give deserving children sweets. And none are more beloved than the crunchy cookies known as speculoos. This centuries-old tradition gets an update with Little Belgians speculoos, which Evy Ballegeer, a Belgian transplanted to Berkeley, Calif., warms up with a mix of nine spices and stamps with whimsical images (a pigeon, an umbrella, a bicycle racer) that remind her of home. $20 for 16 cookies, littlebelgians.com

Clown Jewel

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Clown Jewel

1930s | If your little one is a little too partial to playing Minecraft on your iPhone, stage an intervention with help from this stuffed toy evocative of a ’30s plaything. The charming clown from Danish company Maileg has a decidedly low-tech look that might lead your child to create an imaginary circus. Should he or she require more impetus to play ringmaster, the company also crafts fellow clowns, a big top and performing animals. Clown, $36, mysweetmuffin.com

The Writing's on the Shawl

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

The Writing's on the Shawl

3,000 B.C. | Long before Gutenberg invented the printing press, ancient Egyptians told their tales through complex hieroglyphic carvings. Now London accessories label Drake’s pays homage to those stylized declarations with this hieroglyphic-motif wool scarf. While it’s ideal for the academically inclined guy, the scarf can be jauntily twisted around the neck to let the snakes, vases and winged creatures swirl together for a look you don't need an Ancient Civ. degree to understand. $185, drakes.com

Better Butter

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Better Butter

1920s | In an era when groceries can be summoned with a mouse click, it might seem masochistic to even consider making your own butter. Yet the freshly churned product far surpasses anything obtainable via FreshDirect. This butter maker from Churncraft, an upgrade on a 1920s model, demands a little elbow grease—about 15 minutes’ cranking, typically—and a couple quarts of heavy cream to produce 1.5-1.75 pounds of butter and a bonus jug of buttermilk. Now, that’s a gift that keeps on giving. $240, churncraft.com

Tick Figure

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Tick Figure

1930s | Disney’s perky rodent Mickey Mouse as a working-class hero? Indeed. When the Depression had Connecticut-based Ingersoll Watch Company staring down bankruptcy, its desperate owners approached Walt Disney himself to make watches using the iconic cartoon creature’s image. Though he’d never licensed anything before, Mr. Disney agreed. Macy’s sold 11,000 of the watches on the first day of sale, and Ingersoll hired 2,700 workers to keep up with demand. This newly issued wall-clock version isn’t likely to create jobs at such a breakneck pace, but it should work fine as a cheeky way to let your loved ones check the time. Wall Clock, $65, ameico.com

Sweat Deal

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Sweat Deal

1980s | Between Jazzercise, “Rocky” sequels, Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons, athletic gear occupied center court in the 1980s. A fine gift for the athleisure fan in your life, this neoclassic Champion sweatsuit evokes that high-impact decade. The tight-knit, reverse-weave construction has a softer and beefier texture than most modern sweats, and the accent stripes of retro “C” logos reinforce the nostalgic vibe. Best of all, the updated fit is six-pack slender rather than couch-potato flabby. It’s stylish enough for him to wear outside the living room, assuming he leaves the neon headband at home. Pullover, $125, and pants, $125, ssense.com

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Richard Branson

The Worst Gift I Got as a Kid... by Richard Branson

“My mother bought me Brylcreem for my hair as a present, then, in front of my friends, preceded to put it on her hands, spit in her hands, rub the spit together with the Brylcreem and push it through my hair. I’ve never used it since.”
–Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, and subject of the new documentary “Don’t Look Down”

Desert Throwback

Desert Throwback

1950s | During the ’50s and ’60s when Palm Springs was a favorite escape for Hollywood’s beau monde, anyone who was anyone slept, dined out and even prayed under a low-slung roof designed by modernist architect William F. Cody. In 1952, oil magnate and television producer Jack Wrather tasked Cody to build him a weekend retreat with a smattering of guesthouses for his A-list friends. The property, L’Horizon, hosted the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Ronald Reagan over the years, before new owners turned it into a modest motel. Last year, L’Horizon immodestly reopened as a luxe resort filled with winks to its midcentury heyday, from the Mulhauser leather chairs to the mai tais on the cocktail menu. Take someone you love there as a gift from the past. From $605 a night, lhorizonpalmsprings.com

C'mon, Give me a Tint

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

C'mon, Give me a Tint

1960s | In an ideal world, you’d give your favorite auto enthusiast the smell of burning rubber and the sweet taste of victory. Short of that, help him look the part of a debonair speedster in Oliver Peoples tortoiseshell aviators. With burnt sienna lenses and sharp metallic arms, these sporty specs will fuel the fantasies of even a highly responsible Volvo station-wagon driver. Braedon Glasses, $485, oliverpeoples.com

Cheesy Does It

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

Cheesy Does It

1970s | Whether it’s an aprés-ski affair you envision or a groovy gathering in a sunken living room, dreams of ’70s-style winter entertaining invariably center on a bubbling fondue pot. This vintage enameled-steel model, from Dansk’s Kobenstyle line, was spotted in the SparkleUpcycledGoods shop on Etsy, and it’s not unusual for Etsy and eBay searches to turn up the accompanying forks and other accoutrements, as well, for the completist on your list. $97 as shown, etsy.com

A Point Well Made

F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas

A Point Well Made

1920s | Gatsby would have appreciated the bling these crystal-tipped cocktail picks bring to a soirée, whether poked through olives in a Martini or used as a utensil to spear hors d’oeuvres. Just the thing to bring as a host gift. ANNA by RabLabs Héritage Cocktail Picks, from $75 for four, annanewyork.com